satisfied with what we have seen, and return; indeed Ibegin to be tired with the ramble we have had;' 'well, my dear sister,'said Irene, 'we may not have such another opportunity a great while,if you wont go in, let us just open the door, and only look in, surethere can be no great harm in that.' 'I could like to please you,' saysFatima, 'but I am sadly afraid;' 'Pho!' cried Irene, 'don't be afraidbefore you are hurt; come, fear nothing.' Fatima, to please her, tookthe key all sparkling with diamonds, and put it to the lock, when thedoor flew open in an instant, and discovered such a dismal scene, thatFatima instantly fainted away, the walls were lined with the skeletons,and the floor was strewed with the limbs of the dead wives the cruelBlue Beard had already murdered, which were swimming in their blood,into which, when Fatima fainted, she dropt the key. At one end of thisdismal room stood the figure of death holding a dart, and over him waswrote, in characters of blood, _The punishment of curiosity_. 'Mercy onme!' said Fatima, as soon as she recovered, 'what will become of me.Abomelique will surely find me out, and no doubt serve me as he hasdone the poor creatures we have just seen.'
'Come, dear sister,' said Irene, 'let us get away, I am very sorryI persuaded you to open the door;'--'Where is the key gone,' saysFatima, ''tis not in the door?' 'Perhaps it is dropt,' says Irene; andso it was sure enough, and what was worse, into the blood: she tookit up, locked the door, and wiped the blood from off her hands, butin spite of all they could do, they could not wipe it from the key.Now you must know this key was the gift of a fairy to Blue Beard; andwhen poor Fatima found she could not clean it, she cried bitterly, andIrene could not help crying too. 'You know, my dear, 'tis a saying, onetrouble seldom comes alone;' and that was the case now; for while theywere thinking what they should do, a black slave entered to tell themAbomelique was returned, and expected them in the grand saloon. Thiswas terrible news for Fatima, who gave herself up for lost; however,go she must.
'Now as they were going,' Fatima says to Irene, 'my dear sister,yesterday I wrote to Selim, and as I make no doubt but he received theletter, this day I hoped to see him; pray do you go to the top of thetower, and if he should be coming, beckon him with your handkerchiefto make haste.' Away went Irene with a heavy heart; while Fatima, witha heavier one, went to meet Blue Beard; who, as soon as he saw her,cried out, 'Well Madam, how have you entertained yourself? don't youthink there are sights in the Castle worth looking at?' 'Yes,' repliedFatima, sighing, 'there are indeed!'--'But why sigh, my love!' saysBlue Beard, 'I hope you have not broke the order I gave you; come, giveme the keys.' Poor Fatima with an aching heart, put her hand into herpocket, and pulling out the keys, gave them to him with a tremblinghand.
Blue Beard was afraid something had happened by her trembling; heno sooner saw the blood on the key of the chamber he forbid her toenter, than his countenance changed, and he roared out in a voice likethunder, 'Ah! wretch, I see what you have been at; you have seen myformer wives, who have forfeited their lives by their curiosity, andyou shall now go and lay among them.'
So saying he seized her by the hair of her head: when, falling on herknees, she besought him to spare her life; but he was a monster not tobe moved. When she found he was determined to kill her, she begged himto grant her a little time to say her prayers. He bid her go, but notbe long or he would fetch her.
Getting up into her chamber, she called for her sister, and asked herif she saw any thing. 'No, dear sister,' said Irene, 'nothing but thedreary common and the sky.' 'Are you most done?' said Blue Beard;'yes,' cried Fatima; when calling again to Irene, she said, 'sister,what do you see?' 'Nothing, dear sister, but a flock of sheep.' 'Areyou not a coming?' said Blue Beard, in a surlier voice than before;'yes directly,' said Fatima; when calling to her sister, she asked herif she saw nothing? 'yes,' cried Irene, 'I see a great cloud of dust,but it is a great way off.' 'If you don't come down,' Blue Beard roaredout, 'I will fetch you;' 'coming,' cried Fatima: when calling againto her sister, she asked her what she saw? 'I see,' cried Irene, 'anumber of horsemen riding full speed towards the Castle;' 'wave yourhandkerchief, dear sister, that they may make more haste, or I fear itwill be all over with me.'
At this instant entered Blue Beard, and seizing her hair, begandragging her towards the Blue Chamber, while her shrieks were enoughto pierce the heart of stone. He had not dragged her far before heheard the sound of feet on the stairs and as tyrants are alwayscowards, he stopt to listen.
He had not stopt long before Selim, (who had forced into the Castle)following the cries of Fatima, rushed into the room, with his sword inhand. 'Villain', said Blue Beard, drawing his scymater, 'what dost thouhere?' 'Tyrant,' cried Selim, 'to punish such a monster as thou art.'They said no more, but at it they went. Despair lent courage to BlueBeard; love to Selim; while poor Fatima sat trembling on the floor. Atlength Selim prevailed: for running Blue Beard through the body, helaid him breathless on the floor.
He now went to Fatima, who was fainting, and taking her in his arms,carried her to the window to give her air.
In the mean time his brother had overcome the slaves, who were notsorry to hear of Blue Beard's death.
Selim took possession of the Castle, gave the slaves their liberty,and married Fatima. Selim's brother fell in love with and marriedIrene, and they all lived together happily.
Cruel Blue Beard being dead And those lovers in his stead, Time goes merrily along, Now a dance, and then a song: for whenever true love's found, Joy and pleasure will abound. By the poor around they're blest, By the rich around carest; Guilt may leave behind its stings, Nought but comfort virtue brings.
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